By Chaitanya Charan das
Question: How are we to see Krishna’s hand when sincere, dedicated devotees depart prematurely in tragic circumstances?
Short Answer: Krishna as death is kindly freeing those devotes from all that is material to enable them to focus undistracted on the spiritual.
Detailed Answer:
Death can seem cruel when it takes away a dear one. The Bhagavad-gita may seem to add to the bewilderment when it asserts (10.34) that the death which steals away everything is a manifestation o
By HH Romapada Swami
Answers by HH Romapada Swami
Question: Prabhupada told us to “Chant Hare Krishna and Be Happy”. I have been chanting the maha mantra since two years and I am following the rules and regulations but I am still very unhappy. I guess that there is a problem somewhere with me. My life is a mess. Krishna gives me too many tests which I can’t handle. I have been struggling with my spiritual life and I am tired now. I am helpless.
I was engaged with a devotee for 1 year and we wer
From Back to Godhead
By Urmila Devi Dasi
Pure chanting of God’s names requires reverence for God in all His forms , including revealed scripture.
Esteem For Sacred Writings
This article discusses the offense of blaspheming Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version.
IT IS FASHIONABLE in modern secular societies to regard sacred literature as the mythological musings of undeveloped people. Schools teach that with our current understanding of physics, medicine, psychology, d
From Back to Godhead
By Kalakantha Dasa
A look at Lord Caitanya’s “Eight Instructions” and their relevance to japa, the individual practice of chanting Hare Krishna.
A friend once told me this analogy about spiritual life: a flock of geese share strength by flying in a V formation, but if one goose goes down, the others can’t help. Similarly, though seekers of enlightenment help each other, success ultimately depends on personal effortand the kindness of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna.
Krishna’s
Our very existence is an atmosphere of non-existence. Why, especially when we are not supposed to be threatened by non-existence? To simply put, we should always exist, we are eternal beings.
Our spiral to non-existence begins by 'misusing' our minute free-will by using it independently of Krishna or God. This is what Bhagavad Gita says. This misuse of free-will is termed as kama or desires free of Krishna. Independent desires entangle and bind us in the three gunas (or ropes of nature). These
By Ramai Swami
Most devotees around the world have heard of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium (ToVP) in Mayapur. The super structure is finished, tiles are being laid, but there’s a long way to go.
To this end, a devotee team headed by Ambarish Prabhu, Jananivas Prabhu and Vraja Vilasa Prabhu are traveling the world raising funds.
In the past few weeks they have been to Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne temples and I had the privilege of supporting their efforts in Melbourne. All the campaigns thus
Question: Experiencing happiness within devotional service: Is that considered selfish?
I get so much happiness with devotional service. However, I fear that if it is a selfish desire rather sincere motivation to please Krsna. How can I differentiate and improve where I am not focusing on my happiness, but rather making Krsna happy?
Romapada Swami: Feeling happiness in relation to Krishna is good! As you mature in Krishna consciousness, however, gradually and deliberately shift your attention a
By Kesava Krsna Dasa
One of the most fragile aspects of devotee interaction is the subject of obedience. Obedience to authority and obedience to devotee consensus is not always easy. Cooperation need not be blind. Lord Chaitanya showed us how.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was most obedient, towards His Mother, His seniors and the wise counsel of all others, young and old. With this obedience, the Lord did not have it all His way.
If He desired something and His superiors decided against it – with
A friend returning from India and dealing with jetlag added a small line in an email to me – my goal today: to stay awake.
That jumped out. What a goal, not just for the day, but for life.
In spiritual life when we think of being awake, we think of being conscious, being mindful of how we are relating with the world and with others. Being awake in bhakti means being awake to Krishna, to our particular relationship with Him, and our intentional effort to honor, respect, and grow that relationshi
It seems that the world has gone crazy. This last election cycle, and the aftermath has provoked fear and anxiety in millions of people around the world. Americans are rushing to buy land in Canada, there is talk about building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, thousands are in fear of being deported, there are demonstrations in the street, and we have a President elect who claims to know more than all the Generals.
Although I have posted this essay written by our Srila Prabhupada before, it
In Forlì, Italy, as I was entering a big office building, I was suddenly stopped by a security guard who inquired boldly:
“Who are you? Where are you going?”
She was a young lady, and she seemed quite severe and determined to not let me enter. When I presented myself and explained in a few words about our mission she changed positively and asked:
“Don’t you need a security guard for your community? I’m tired of working for these people.”
I replied, “There is an ancient proverb, rakhe krsna mare
The “American Dream” is built on the presumption of free will: If we try hard enough and work smart enough, we can reach our goals. Yet karma and destiny are some of the biggest influences in our life. Now new findings in neuroscience have a lot to say about free will vs. determination.
Hare Krsna,
In this issue of Illuminations we talk about the power and importance of visualizing ourselves as the kind of devotee we really want to be.
May you always think of Krsna.
Mahatma Das
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What You See is What You Get
I’d like you to take a minute and envision the kind of devotee you would like to be if anything were possible. What qualities would you like to possess? How would you like to act? What kind of menta
Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The Vice President of India, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, inaugurated ISKCON's East West Cultural Festival in New Delhi yesterday. The event also saw the Indian premiere of the film Hare Krishna! directed by Yadubara Prabhu.
Dr. Bibek Debroy, one of world's well-known economist and Indologist, executive member of India's Planning Commission (NITI Aayog) and Chairman of Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Coun
By Laxmimoni Devi Dasi
I have come to Mayapur many times over the years. The first time was in 1974. Between then and the 90’s I went on the Nabadwip Mandala parikrama six times without shoes! But in all the times I’ve come to Mayapur and all the parikramas I’ve gone on, I have never felt so close to the Dham as I do when I go on the Kartik Parikrama with the Mayapur Chandra’s and the 200 or so others that come along on this transcendental pilgrimage.
Small and intimate, this gathering of serio
By Karnamrita Das
None of us want to be sick, and yet we all experience the occasional cold, flu, or something more serious. Some persons, like my wife, who have a weak immune system, deal with a body that is prone to catch whatever bug is going around. Having such a delicate bodily instrument, if they don’t eat and sleep properly they become more susceptible to illness. Thus my wife is a much greater expert than me in understanding the benefits of sickness to her spiritual life and how the body
